Breaking Free by Kevin Shorter

Shorter has written this little book to help Christians who are struggling with addictions. He shares his own story of being introduced to pornography as a teen. Hooked, this addiction stayed with him into his marriage and his work with Campus Crusade. Though he had an experience with God, his freedom from the addiction was not complete nor immediate. Writing this book was the final step in his victory of breaking free.

I must say at the outset that there is more useful information in this short book than I've seen in books three times as long. Shorter uses material from many other authors, combining their ideas in a precise and useful way.

He writes about the techniques that don't work and why it is wrong to try to deal with the addiction in our own strength. He identifies lies that must be corrected. The biggest one, he writes, is that we have to do something to get our healing. We already have it! Other lies include believing we're not good enough or we don't love God enough. Our role is to abide in Jesus and change our thinking to live out the truth, including accepting God's love in every area of our life.

He helps us work through the lies we believe and misrepresentations of events in our past. He offers practical steps to do so, including spiritual warfare, hearing God's voice, and more. He also gives steps for growing in our Christian walk, including the necessity of having close relationships with others, perhaps a mentor or a trusted small group.

He realizes that some might be reading this book because they want to help another, such as a spouse. He offers a number of compassionate suggestions.

This book is a great encouragement for Christians who have given up. Shorter places his suggestions squarely on the foundation of our position in Christ. Of great importance is the relationship we have with God and the rights and privileges we have in Jesus. Non-Christians will not have that foundation.

Reading this book will not provide an instant release from addiction. That is going to take work. What Shorter has done is give us a well thought out path we can take to freedom.

Kevin Shorter is a writer and teacher with the focus of leading himself and others into the heart of the Father. He and his wife started the non-profit, Josiah's Covenant, creating families for Asian orphans and providing them with job opportunities. They currently live in China with their two daughters. Find out more at http://JosiahsCovenant.com and http://Prayer-Coach.com.

The book is 97 pages long and you can buy it here.